by Adnan Al-Hammody University of Nineveh (Mosul, Iraq) Keywords: Facebook, interaction, learning, language practice, willingness, vocabulary Abstract This paper investigates what Iraqi students gain from interacting in English in a Facebook group in an EFL context. An online questionnaire of eight multiple-choice and two openended questions was provided to the participants, who are […]
Digital Education
Pedagogical Blogging: Promoting Tertiary Level Students’ Critical Thinking by Using Socratic Questions
by Zahra Shahsavar Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Shiraz, Iran) and Tan Bee Hoon Universiti Putra Malaysia (Serdang, Malaysia) Keywords: blogging, critical thinking, Socratic thinking Abstract This study seeks to investigate the effects of pedagogical blogging on tertiary students’ critical thinking. The authors initially discuss the role of Socratic questions in promoting students’ critical […]
TESOL Talk from Nottingham: Using Podcasts and Blogs to Extend Engagement Amongst Postgraduate TESOL Students
by Jane Evison and Richard Pemberton University of Nottingham (Nottingham, UK) Keywords: blog, community, engagement, out-of-class learning, podcast Abstract This paper reports on a two-part project which involved students engaging with two types of social software: podcasting and blogging. The idea began as part of an “ePioneers1“ initiative in the School of Education at […]
A Review of Online Reading Sites for ESL Students
by KC Lee and Happy Goh National University of Singapore (Singapore) Background As coordinators of a one-year intensive English course, we are looking for supplementary reading materials which are available online for our students who are English as Second Language (ESL) learners. These supplementary reading materials form part of a larger reading curriculum and […]
Digital Storytelling in the Foreign Language Classroom
by Hayo Reinders Middlesex University (London, UK) Abstract Digital storytelling is a compelling activity for the language classroom. Easy to use for both writing and speaking practice, digital storytelling can be a good way to motivate students to use the language both inside and outside the classroom. Many teachers report high motivation levels, and not […]
Blended E-learning: The Way to Go?
by Sujata S Kathpalia Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) Keywords: blended e-learning, collaborative environment, constructivist learning, online discussions, student-centred Abstract Blending is an art which integrates different types of resources and activities to make learning more effective. In the last decade, blended learning has extended to include e-learning, with teachers in higher education integrating e-learning […]
A Review of “SymbalooEDU, the Personal Learning Environment Platform”
by Christopher Harwood National University of Singapore (Singapore) Introduction Created in 2010, SymbalooEDU is an educational version of the original Symbaloo application founded in Holland in March 2007. It is a software application that enables learners to organize, integrate and share online content in one setting or Personal Learning Environment (PLE). The platform […]
Using Blogs to Practice Grammar Editing Skills
by Christopher Harwood National University of Singapore (Singapore) Keywords: blogging, collaborative learning, learner autonomy, student-centred learning Abstract This paper reports on the pedagogic reasons for using blogs as a learning aid and how blogging was integrated into a curriculum at the National University of Singapore to support the learning of grammar editing skills of […]
Using Internet-based Video in Teacher Training
by Dara Richard National University of Singapore (Singapore) TeacherTube – www.teachertube.com Teachers TV – www.teachers.tv Since the 1990’s educators have promoted the use of video in the classroom. Compared to print or audio material, video provides a rich source of information. Students not only learn new content but also observe its context (Norton & […]
Using Wikis with Student Research Projects and Portfolios
by Celeste Scholz University of Oregon (Oregon, USA) Keywords: collaborative learning, portfolios, research projects, wikis Abstract A wiki is a powerful, free Internet tool that allows users to quickly create web pages organized into websites without special training. The web page editing screen has recognizable formatting tools. Although these tools are limited, wikis have […]